Chapter Seven- Hunted

It was an odd scene for Kaiba. He sat in his usual chair with his dinner before him but sitting at the table with him were two wolves, one black and one gray-blond. They had bowls of raw meat and water instead of a plate and cup. Kaiba had deemed it necessary to tell the staff about Mokuba and Darien being werewolves and the strict diet they were on during the full moon as well as meat craving in-between moons. He also made it clear that only their bodies were different, nothing else.

"Mr. Kaiba, I can't thank you enough for your generous offer," Darien said before lapping up some water. "I only hope I don't wear out my welcome."

"Don't try to take over my company or try to kill me and we'll get along just fine."

Darien knew Kaiba was serious but gave a wolf's grin anyway. "Not a problem."

"So, Mokuba told me you're 105. That's quite impressive."

Darien managed a shrug. "I guess so, but there are some who have lived for hundreds of years." He then bowed his head. "I have neglected to mention a part of my past as I did not see myself having a home and now I'm starting to regret accepting your offer."

"What is it?" Mokuba asked.

"Werewolves are supposed to bit someone and the timing doesn't matter. Most werewolves are turned by biting and they, in turn, bite others. I never have. I felt it was wrong to do so. It would disrupt the bitten's life just as mine had been. I had lived with a pack community when I was first bitten for almost two years when it was brought to the attention of the leader that I had not bitten anyone. When he summoned me and asked if this was true, I admitted it. The next thing I knew I was exiled from the village.

"Then, about twenty years ago, I encountered one of the werewolves from the village and he declared that I had been sentenced to death and that he was assigned to hunt me down and kill me."

"They decided to kill you just because you won't bite anyone?" Kaiba gasped, hardly believing what he was hearing.

Darien nodded. "I began moving constantly to stay ahead of my pursuer. I also acquired the recipe for the formula and the ingredients. It wasn't until arriving here that I brewed it. I'm getting the feeling that my pursuer is here in this city and I worry that he may threaten you two in order to get me to surrender."

"Heh, let him try," Kaiba scoffed. "We have a high security system protecting us."

"But not in public," Darien said.

"Darien," Mokuba said. "Is it possible to tell the difference between a bitten person and one who drank the formula?"

"No. No way at…" Darien blinked and his tail swished. "Oh, I see. If you're with me, I can claim that I bit you and, if we're in an isolated place, you could change to prove it as you'll have access to that ability tomorrow."

"How about showing me that spot you had been staying at? That could draw your pursuer out."

"Perfect."

"Good. Seto." Mokuba looked at his brother. "I just made my own dueling deck and I'd like your opinion on it."

"Your own deck? I'd like to see it and tell you my opinion when I get home from work tomorrow."

Darien felt as if he was being watched as Mokuba and he walked around town. His nose flared to pick up the smell of wolf but the only wolf he picked up was Mokuba. That confirms what I've always suspected. My would-be assassin is capable of concealing his scent which means he is older than me.

Mokuba was hardly oblivious to his friend's behavior. He saw his nose flaring and he kept glancing around. "Darien?" he asked. "What is it?"

"I feel like we're being watched. I think it's my pursuer and he seems capable of concealing his scent as the only wolf scent I'm getting is yours."

"Then, maybe we should head to your spot in the park and wait for him."

"Let's go, then."

"Will he leave you alone once you and I claim you bit me?"

"I would think so and I hope so. I was sentenced to death because I refuse to bite. By saying that I have now done so, they will consider me a 'true' werewolf." Darien made air quotes around the word true.

"I would consider you a true one when you were bitten," Mokuba said as they sat in a cozy little clearing.

Darien smiled. "Thank you. I would think every werewolf is a true one when-,"

"A pacifist like you would think that," a sneering voice said before a man with silver hair appeared, a gun in one hand. "A pacifist and a traitor."

"Traitor?" Darien repeated in confusion though he had a good idea why he was being called a traitor now.

"You risk exposing our existence by telling a human what you are."

"I have done no such thing," Darien said. He put an arm around Mokuba's arms. "Mokuba here is a werewolf I bit three nights ago. I've been teaching him everything I know."

The hunter, Barry, stared at them. He had tracked Darien for twenty years to kill him for not living up to what a werewolf should be. He had finally cornered him only to be told that he had finally bitten someone. "Have you really done it?" he finally asked.

"It's true," Mokuba said. "Can't you smell it on me?"

Barry flared his nose and two wolf scents filled his nose. No wolf can exude two scents. So, this boy is one of us. "Change to really prove it." If he was bitten three nights ago, he should be able to change.

Mokuba smiled before taking his wolf form. He stood as tall as he could as he simply looked at Barry.

The silver-haired werewolf smirked and holstered his gun before looking at Darien. "You are indeed a true wolf now. Just be sure to impress on your protégé how important it is for him to bite. He should turn someone in ten to fifteen years since he's a young one."

"I'll be sure to empathize that point now that I understand," Darien promised. Barry nodded.

"By biting, you will live now. I will be informing my village." Barry turned and departed the area.

Mokuba changed back to human and grinned at Darien. "You'll live now."

Darien grinned back. "Yes." He moved toward where Barry had left and looked around to insure that he had left. Nowhere around. We can talk freely. He turned back to his friend. "Well, our plan worked. He believes I bit you and he will carry that news back to the village."

"Will you go back to the village?"

Darien shook his head. "No. I live with you and your brother now. Besides, the village will be expecting me to 'teach' you."

"You've already taught me a lot."

"I have and maybe you could teach me something."

"What?"

"I'd like to learn how to duel."

"Seto can do that far better than I could. In fact," he checked his watch. "Seto will be home soon to look at my deck. Let's go." Mokuba led the way home, feeling happy and secure in his future.

The End